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Drive from Baltimore to New Jersey


Kel Kel

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I leave Friday 8/23 for my first cruise. I live in Baltimore and the ship leaves from New Jersey. We have to be on the ship by 11am. We had planned to leave by 6:30am Friday morning, is that enough time? 

Does anyone know how th drive from Baltimore to Jersey is? Any advise is appreciated? Help I am stressing!!

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Ive done that drive and its not terrible. I wouldnt stress about the 11am time if you run into traffic. Remember the time on the boarding pass is a suggestion. You just have to be there at least 2 hours before departure. That being said, the earlier the better so that you can beat the crowds etc and start your vacation sooner. Have a great cruise!

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I’d check into a local hotel near the port. I don’t know about New Jersey here in Florida hotels near port often offer stay & park with free shuttle to port. On our next cruise we are actually paying less to stay at hotel the night before the cruise and leave our car parked there then it is to park at Miami cruise parking. Then no worries about hitting traffic or missing the ship!! Just an idea!? 

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2 hours ago, Kel Kel said:

I leave Friday 8/23 for my first cruise. I live in Baltimore and the ship leaves from New Jersey. We have to be on the ship by 11am. We had planned to leave by 6:30am Friday morning, is that enough time? 

Does anyone know how th drive from Baltimore to Jersey is? Any advise is appreciated? Help I am stressing!!

We have done the drive but the inverse, Newark (very close to cruise port) to Baltimore cruise port and it took us just under 4 hours but we stopped for gas (was a rental and needed to return it full) it was a simple trip so you should be fine for 11am even with parking. I think we took 95 all the way.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

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When we cruised out of Port Liberty a few years ago, we stayed in a hotel near Newark airport the night before.  Most of the hotels in that area have packages that include one night, parking for the duration of the cruise and free shuttles to and from the port.  It certainly is less hassle than getting up early and dealing with several hours of traffic along with the boarding process.

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3 hours ago, PatsFanBrian said:

When we cruised out of Port Liberty a few years ago, we stayed in a hotel near Newark airport the night before.  Most of the hotels in that area have packages that include one night, parking for the duration of the cruise and free shuttles to and from the port.  It certainly is less hassle than getting up early and dealing with several hours of traffic along with the boarding process.

Which hotel did you stay at out of curiosity?  While I've seen a bunch of the Newark hotels offering the stay & park option, I've seen precious few that also offer a free shuttle to/from the port.

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15 minutes ago, USCG Teacher said:

Which hotel did you stay at out of curiosity?  While I've seen a bunch of the Newark hotels offering the stay & park option, I've seen precious few that also offer a free shuttle to/from the port.

Sorry for any misinformation, I checked with my wife and she recalls that there was a charge for the shuttle that was added to the overall package.  It's been nearly five years and my recall wasn't very good.  I was mixing it up with another cruise when we flew from Newark to PR and the hotel provided a free airport shuttle. 

We stayed in Elizabeth, I believe it was a Country Inn near a large mall.  We were on a 10 day cruise and parking was included in the package.  Even with the shuttle charge, it was still a good deal.  By getting there a day early, we were able to watch a Pats game at the nearby restaurant,  the next morning get some Christmas shopping done at the local mall and still have plenty of time to get to the ship (about a 20 minute ride).

Our cruise next month will be the first that we don't stay in a hotel the night before (out of Boston, a 1 hr ride for us).  We're just the types who prefer to get where we need to be a day early and leave less to chance, especially when flying.

 

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2 hours ago, PatsFanBrian said:

Our cruise next month will be the first that we don't stay in a hotel the night before (out of Boston, a 1 hr ride for us).  We're just the types who prefer to get where we need to be a day early and leave less to chance, especially when flying.

Always prudent.  ? 

Thanks for the clarification.  We're close enough to Port Liberty that it's an easy drive in, but if there was a hotel in the area Newark area with a free shuttle deal that came close to what a week's worth of parking cost, I'd certainly consider it for the convenience!  

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I'd recommend the amtrak personally.  No worries about traffic and the NE corridor train is pretty danged regular.  Because your pain points are going to be getting out of Baltimore (depending on where you are, 695 just finds a way to get itself jacked up at the 95 junctions), your next pain point is going to be Philly.  Might be good, might be jacked for miles.  Then its getting through Jersey.  

But I'm all about the relaxing on a train, chatting about your upcoming cruise, and letting someone else deal with the traffic.

One issue about the train.  The NE Corridor train does NOT have checked luggage.  So you have to be using carryons (a full size suitcase will not fit, or you'll give yourself a hernia lifting a full size suitcase into the above seat storage, not to mention possibly clubbing someone with your full size luggage as you get out at Newark).  If you do 2 carryons per person, figure out how you're going to wrangle that luggage down before the stop at the airport because the stop is relatively short because that train is going to try to make up any time lost before it arrives in NYC.  If you take a train like the Cardinal (I think that's the correct one), its been notorious for delays, but it does have checked luggage but with checking luggage, you can have luggage snafus.  So your luggage situation can prefer leaving Baltimore by car at like 530 just to be on the safe side with traffic.  

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1 hour ago, USCG Teacher said:

Always prudent.  ? 

Thanks for the clarification.  We're close enough to Port Liberty that it's an easy drive in, but if there was a hotel in the area Newark area with a free shuttle deal that came close to what a week's worth of parking cost, I'd certainly consider it for the convenience!  

If I could avoid driving and parking, I would.  But limos or ride shares will cost as much as the 7 days to park (140-160) at the terminal and the rates at hotels are double.  Fortunately, we'll be driving on on Sunday morning and traffic will be light.  At least we'll have the convenience of going directly to our car and being home by 10-11 AM at the end of it.

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2 minutes ago, ThyriC said:

I'd recommend the amtrak personally.  No worries about traffic and the NE corridor train is pretty danged regular.  Because your pain points are going to be getting out of Baltimore (depending on where you are, 695 just finds a way to get itself jacked up at the 95 junctions), your next pain point is going to be Philly.  Might be good, might be jacked for miles.  Then its getting through Jersey.  

But I'm all about the relaxing on a train, chatting about your upcoming cruise, and letting someone else deal with the traffic.

One issue about the train.  The NE Corridor train does NOT have checked luggage.  So you have to be using carryons (a full size suitcase will not fit, or you'll give yourself a hernia lifting a full size suitcase into the above seat storage, not to mention possibly clubbing someone with your full size luggage as you get out at Newark).  If you do 2 carryons per person, figure out how you're going to wrangle that luggage down before the stop at the airport because the stop is relatively short because that train is going to try to make up any time lost before it arrives in NYC.  If you take a train like the Cardinal (I think that's the correct one), its been notorious for delays, but it does have checked luggage but with checking luggage, you can have luggage snafus.  So your luggage situation can prefer leaving Baltimore by car at like 530 just to be on the safe side with traffic.  

The NE Corridor does have checked luggage, but I'm not sure it's available at all stations.  I travel from Providence to Penn Station.  Both stations have a desk to check luggage and I've seen people use them.  I've never used it, so I can't say how efficient or reliable it is.

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2 minutes ago, ThyriC said:

The NE Corridor train does NOT have checked luggage.

Hmm, I take this train for business. The front and back of each car has a luggage rack. So you're correct about no luggage check but you can fit a full sized suitcase at the front or back...even when there are no luggage racks there are open spaces that people store their luggage. There are plenty of people on this train for the Newark stop so you'll see plenty of full sized luggage.

Also, you should see me trying to get my heavy carry-on over the seat...I usually need a little help or a few tries.

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1 minute ago, PatsFanBrian said:

The NE Corridor does have checked luggage, but I'm not sure it's available at all stations.

Whoops, I did not know that but good to know for future. Do you know if it's only for express trips? I wonder how it works since there is very little time once the train stops to let off/on passengers.

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Yah I take it for work as well, but when you get on in Baltimore, all the DC people have the luggage cubbies full, and usually they're full all the way to Newark.  I've just learned to travel for work with my single airline approved carryon that I dont have to break my back to heft into the above seat storage.  For someone not accustomed to this train ride, its a little difficult

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I think you "can" check your luggage but its not going on that train with you.  There's no baggage car on the NE corridor train.  On the Cardinal, yes they run a baggage car.  But the NE Corridor, nope, not even if you go from DC to Boston.  But they'll stick the luggage on the Cardinal for you to pick up later in the day.  But that thing has some crazy delays (I regularly see it with 2 hour delays, I dont think I've ever seen it on time)

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3 minutes ago, ellcee said:

Whoops, I did not know that but good to know for future. Do you know if it's only for express trips? I wonder how it works since there is very little time once the train stops to let off/on passengers.

From what I understand, you need to inquire if the two end points provide checked baggage.  I think it's available mostly at the major stations.  The amtrak website says to check prior to the trip to ensure it's available.

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3 minutes ago, ThyriC said:

I think you "can" check your luggage but its not going on that train with you.  There's no baggage car on the NE corridor train.  On the Cardinal, yes they run a baggage car.  But the NE Corridor, nope, not even if you go from DC to Boston.  But they'll stick the luggage on the Cardinal for you to pick up later in the day.  But that thing has some crazy delays (I regularly see it with 2 hour delays, I dont think I've ever seen it on time)

Interesting.  As I said, never used it and I always wondered how it could work with the quick stops.  That makes sense.

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Yah I used it in Penn Station when I was going to California by train.  Checked it in Baltimore, and it met me all the way in Anaheim because of the long layover in DC, the Cardinal caught up, handed over the luggage onto the Capitol Limited, then handed off again to the Southwest Chief, then one last time to the train that went from Los Angeles to Anaheim.  

On the way back due to a delay on the Chief, the luggage and I became unpaired and because of that, Amtrak sent someone to my home to deliver my luggage to me (it was a nasty delay on the Chief, like 11 hours late, all connections got missed, so they put me up in a hotel overnight, and that's when the unpairing happened)

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If it were me driving, I wouldn't even go through Philly, I'd bail off I-95 at the Delaware Memorial Bridge and take I-295 N.  Follow Route 40 and cross over to the NJ Turnpike, then it's straight up to Newark/Bayonne.  Sounds a bit complicated, but it's a really easy drive, and will get you around all of the Philly traffic.

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Next year we will try the drive from Boston to Baltimore....One way car rental and 1 nights hotel is cheaper than a flight....at least at todays prices...I will keep looking closer to the date in case a cheaper flight comes available. 

Issue is we will be in Spain and I found a super cheap flight to Boston.....it was $500 more each to go to Baltimore or Washinton….so Road Trip....for under $300-$400 we can do Hotel, car and gas...and a whole lot of fun....priceless....

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